Criminal10/4/2026

Nurse at Rambam Hospital Charged With Committing Indecent Acts on a Patient

The Discipline Division of the Civil Service Commission filed a disciplinary complaint against Muhammad Sana'allah, who worked as a nurse in the urology department at Rambam Hospital in Haifa. According to the complaint, under the guise of a medical examination, he touched the breasts and genitalia of a patient who was hospitalized there.

Key facts

•Body: Civil Service Disciplinary Tribunal in Jerusalem
•Accused: Muhammad Sana'allah, a former nurse at Rambam Hospital
•Patient's hospitalization: February 5–8, 2024
•Approximate time of the incident: around 1:00 a.m. on the first night of hospitalization
•The case number and date on which the disciplinary complaint was filed are not specified in the source
•No monetary amounts or names of specific statutory provisions are provided in the source

What Happened

The patient was hospitalized from February 5 to 8, 2024. According to the complaint, on the first night of her hospitalization, at around 1:00 a.m., the nurse entered her room, closed the dividing curtain, attended to her IV, and asked her about her pain. After she complained of abdominal pain, he allegedly instructed her to remove her pants, palpated her body and breasts, and then asked her to remove her underwear and touched her genitalia.

Why the Patient Consented

As alleged in the complaint, the woman complied with the instructions and did not object because she believed it was a medical examination intended to determine the source of the pain. The Civil Service Commission believes that her consent was obtained by fraud as to the nature of the acts, and that the nurse exploited his position and acted for the purpose of sexual arousal.

What He Is Charged With

Sana'allah is accused of an indecent act under circumstances in which consent was obtained by fraud. In addition, disciplinary charges were filed against him for conduct unbecoming his position as a civil servant and for violating discipline in the civil service. The materials were transferred to the Civil Service Disciplinary Tribunal in Jerusalem; the tribunal's decision is not provided in the source.

The Hospital's Response

Rambam Hospital stated that it had terminated its employment relationship with the employee several months earlier following an internal disciplinary proceeding. According to the hospital's statement, the official responsible for preventing sexual harassment explained to the complainant the options available to her, including contacting the police and receiving assistance when filing a complaint. The patient chose the disciplinary proceeding.

What this means for you

The report illustrates that alleged sexual acts by a medical staff member may be adjudicated separately in disciplinary proceedings, even if the patient chose not to contact the police. Consent to a medical examination does not constitute consent to acts of a different nature if, as alleged, their true purpose was concealed. As of the date of publication, these are allegations, not guilt established by a court.

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